Ex-football chairman takes over county cricket club

Gary Hoffman said he was "honoured" to be elected as chair at Northamptonshire

A former chairman of football's Premier League has been elected to take on the same role for a county cricket team.

Gary Hoffman will officially take over at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in October.

He succeeds Gavin Warren, who is the longest-serving county cricket chairman in England and Wales.

Mr Hoffman said he was "honoured" by the appointment.

Gary Hoffman became a director of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club (NCCC) earlier this year.

He was a director of Coventry City FC and was linked to a bid from the owner of an energy drinks firm to buy the club.

He was also a director of Coventry Building Society and joined the board of the CBS Arena last year.

He became chairman of the Premier League in 2020 but stepped down in 2022 following a backlash from clubs relating to Newcastle United's takeover by a Saudi Arabian-based consortium.

Mr Hoffman said Northamptonshire had "proud tradition and recent successes"

NCCC said he had "crucial experience in financial services, sport [and] media as well as the charitable and community sector which spans locally, nationally and on the international stage".

Mr Hoffman said: “I am honoured to be asked to be chair of Northants. It is a county with a proud tradition and recent successes.

"There are lots of moving parts in cricket - on and off the field - and there are important decisions to be made on behalf of Northants and its supporters."

He said the current chairman, Gavin Warren, would be "a difficult act to follow".

Mr Hoffman became a director of the CBS Arena, formerly the Ricoh Arena, in May 2023

Mr Warren took on the role in 2014 and is relinquishing the post at the end of this year as the club has set down maximum term lengths for governance roles.

NCCC said he had "transformed the County Club during his tenure as chair and, with his board of directors, changed the club ownership, removed all of the club debt, enhanced the County Ground facilities and played an influential role in shaping England and Wales Cricket Board policies over the last decade."

Mr Hoffman will assume the title of chairman elect until Mr Warren steps down.